"Klinsmann Says 'No Tactical Issues'... Football Association to Discuss Dismissal at Meeting on 16th (Comprehensive)"

Football Association Power Enhancement Committee "No Longer Able to Demonstrate Leadership"
Only Chairman Chung Mong-gyu's Decision Remains

The Korea Football Association's National Team Strengthening Committee has recommended the dismissal of head coach J?rgen Klinsmann (Germany) to the association.

On the 15th, the Football Association's Strengthening Committee met at the Football Hall in Jongno-gu, Seoul, to discuss the results of the 2023 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup and reached a consensus that Coach Klinsmann should step down.

Jurgen Klinsmann, head coach of the national soccer team, is speaking via video conference on the 15th at the Korea Football Association in Jongno-gu, Seoul, during the 1st National Team Strengthening Committee meeting of 2024 held to evaluate the achievements of the 2023 AFC Qatar Asian Cup. Photo by Jo Yongjun jun21@

The Strengthening Committee is an advisory body established to provide advice and consultation on the operation of the national team and does not have the authority to directly decide on the coach's position. The Football Association's executive team will make the final decision after comprehensively reviewing the committee's results and the contents from the executive meeting held on the 13th, effectively leaving the decision to Chairman Chung Mong-gyu.

The Football Association convened a meeting on the morning of the 16th attended by Chairman Chung and other key executives.

Hwang Bo-gwan, head of the technical department of the Korea Football Association, held a briefing after the committee meeting, stating, "For various reasons, the committee judged that Coach Klinsmann can no longer demonstrate leadership, and there was a consensus that a replacement is necessary."

The national football team led by Coach Klinsmann faced criticism for not showcasing their best-ever strength during the Asian Cup held in Qatar from mid-last month. Additionally, controversies over Klinsmann's frequent overseas stays and attitude intensified calls for his dismissal after the Asian Cup.

The photo shows Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in leaving the stadium after the 2023 AFC Asian Cup semifinal match against Jordan, held on the 7th (Korean time) at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Furthermore, it was revealed that there was internal discord among players centered around Son Heung-min (Tottenham) and Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain), raising questions about Klinsmann's team management abilities, which led to the Strengthening Committee's recommendation for dismissal on this day.

Head Hwang said, "The committee noted that there was a lack of tactical preparation even against the team they met for the second time (following the group stage) in the Asian Cup semifinals, and during his tenure, the coach did not show a willingness to personally scout and discover various players."

He added, "Regarding team management, there was criticism that the coach failed to properly understand the team atmosphere and internal conflicts, and was lacking in setting discipline and standards as a leader."

He also said, "Regarding his work attitude with limited time spent in the country, there were evaluations such as 'It seems like he is disregarding the people,' and 'He lost the public's trust by not keeping several promises, and it is impossible to recover it.'"

The Strengthening Committee meeting on this day was attended by Chairman Michael M?ller and committee members including Coach Jeong Jae-kwon of Hanyang University, Professor Kwak Hyo-beom of Inha University, Kim Hyun-tae, head of strengthening at Daejeon Hana Citizen, scout Kim Young-geun of Gyeongnam FC, and Coach Song Joo-hee of Gyeongju Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power.

Committee members Coach Park Tae-ha of Pohang Steelers, Coach Cho Sung-hwan of Incheon United, and Coach Choi Yoon-kyum of Chungbuk Cheongju FC participated via video conference.

Coach Klinsmann, who is currently residing in the United States, also attended via video conference.

Head Hwang said, "Coach Klinsmann mentioned that discord within the squad affected the team's performance," and explained, "While the Strengthening Committee focused on the 'lack of tactics,' Klinsmann did not acknowledge that point."

Klinsmann's contract was scheduled to run until the North and Central America World Cup finals in June-July 2026, and it is known that the contract includes a clause requiring payment of the remaining salary in case of dismissal.

According to overseas media reports, Klinsmann's annual salary is around 2.9 billion KRW, and the Football Association would have to pay about 7 billion KRW. When including payments to Klinsmann's coaching staff, the total amount the Football Association must bear increases further.

The national team is scheduled to play home and away matches against Thailand in the second round of the North and Central America World Cup qualifiers during the March A-match period.

The first match is a home game on March 21, with the team expected to assemble around the 18th, leaving only about a month, making it highly likely that an interim head coach will lead the team during this period.

Realistically, the option of entrusting the team to a domestic coach is considered the most likely scenario.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.